Adam Scott can enjoy this week's HP Byron Nelson Championship on television, safe in the knowledge he will become world number one regardless of the result.
In the absence of the injured Tiger Woods, Scott has had several opportunities to play his way to the top of the rankings, most notably when blowing a seven-shot halfway lead in the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
The Australian would also have overtaken Woods with a top-16 finish in the Players Championship last week, but slumped to an opening 77 and finished joint 38th.
Compatriot
However, the 33-year-old will finally follow in the footsteps of compatriot Greg Norman when the updated rankings are released on Monday, even if Matt Kuchar wins the tournament.
World number five Kuchar would also overtake Woods with a victory, but would not be able to surpass Scott, who would make it the 12th time a player has moved to number one despite being inactive.
Martin Kaymer's win in the Players Championship on Sunday lifted the former world number one from 61st to 28th in the rankings and the German will attempt to make it back-to-back wins at the TPC Four Seasons Resort in Irving, Texas, where he finished joint fifth on his debut last year.
Jordan Spieth, who played alongside Kaymer for the final two rounds at Sawgrass, returns to the event where he made his PGA Tour debut aged 16 in 2010, finishing joint 16th. The 20-year-old will be playing in his hometown event for the fourth time and hoping to follow in his footsteps is sponsor's invitee Scottie Scheffler, one of the world's top ranked juniors.
And the 17-year-old even has ambitions to do even better than Spieth, despite having to split his time between golf and school homework.
“I have a calculus project I have to do and a quantum science test in the morning,” Scheffler told a press conference. “Obviously there is a little bit of pressure, but I’m trying to treat this like I would any other tournament with my preparation.
“I was going to try to get in the top 10. I thought that would be a good goal for me.”
